The present invention refers to a machine part with improved surface texture for rolling contact and/or sliding contact.
It is generally known to utilize a plateau- (or flat-) honing process to provide a surface with a plateau-like texture which is interrupted by pits that cross each other and are formed by an at least two-stage honing process. In a first honing step, the surface is honed to exhibit peaks and pits, with the peaks being removed during the second honing step to a mean profile line so as to form the plateau-like texture, with the depth of the pits formed during the first honing step being maintained. Such plateau-like surface textures are used primarily during finishing of cylinder bores in motor blocks of Otto engines or diesel engines for improving the running properties of the cylinder face (VDI-Z 125 (1983) No. 14, July (II), page 995 ff., entitled "Fachgebiete in Jahresubersichten: Honen"). The improvement of the running properties is based on the enhanced oil retention capability of the pits that cross each other.
A drawback of configuring the surfaces with a plateau-like structure is their inability to fulfill their objective under certain circumstances, especially in those cases when such surfaces are subject to highest loads and their lubrication is insufficient during simultaneous rolling and sliding contacts. In those cases, the surfaces do not have the required durability and become damaged.